Dementia’s preventative futures: researcher perspectives on prospective developments in the UK

Abstract

Purpose In lieu of a cure, the idea that dementia might be preventable through risk-factor moderation has latterly gained popularity. Prevention research is an evolving field that will likely undergo significant shifts in the near future. This paper aims to engage with that future as it is imagined in the present. Design/methodology/approach This study explores the futures envisaged by dementia prevention researchers in the UK, based on interviews with six practitioners at the forefront of the field. Findings Participants foresaw a pivot away from “dementia prevention” toward “brain health”, and advocated for blended policy, community and lifestyle interventions. They were excited by the prospects for a lifecourse dementia hypothesis to inform new interventions but uncomfortable with the ethics of early intervention. Originality/value These findings complicate simplistic depictions of prevention researchers as pursuing responsibilised lifestyle approaches.